Woman Says TSA Agent Stole Jewels At Logan Airport

Ok, then advise me please on what I should do if the TSA who is checking my bags isn't following the rules and tells me they are taking my bag for further searching and to stay where I am. What is my next move?

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Make a scene, demand that your stuff stay in your site. I did that once when a screener walked off with two laptops.

A Boston woman says a TSA officer stole her jewelry at a security checkpoint at Logan Airport, taking off with pearls worth thousands and deleting the surveillance footage after a complaint was filed. Terri Ivester claims an airport agent working for the Transportation Security Administration took her backpack out of sight and stole her belongings while in another area. The TSA agent holds my backpack up, and um, says there’s a water bottle in this backpack, I’m going to have to take that,” she told CBS Boston.​

Ok, then advise me please on what I should do if the TSA who is checking my bags isn't following the rules and tells me they are taking my bag for further searching and to stay where I am. What is my next move?

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Easy scream "THIEF... STOP" at the top of your lungs. I guarantee you will have get their full attention and the TSA dolt will stop what s/he is doing as all eyes will be on them. They cant claim disorderly conduct if you believe a crime was in progress IE Theft.

Ok, then advise me please on what I should do if the TSA who is checking my bags isn't following the rules and tells me they are taking my bag for further searching and to stay where I am. What is my next move?

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The first move would be to do like some folks here have mentioned, lock your bag with a small lock. You will be able to keep the key to the bag in your hands if you choose to use the AIT, or the pat down (at least that has always been the case that I know of). This will prevent easy access to the bag, and insure that you have to be there with the bag when they open it. Now, if they take it out of your sight, request an STSO (and you may not want to hear this, but if you are polite, it will probably get you better results), and relay what has happened, and express your displeasure at your items not being kept in your sight (you may mention that HQ has published that you can stay with your items while they are being screened). If that fails, then it is time to file formal complaints, I would always start with the local airport and give them 72 hours to respond. If they do not respond, then I would move to Talk to TSA and give them 5 business days to give you a response, if no response, I would contact my local elected officials and do so everyday until someone answers me. The time frames I mention are a personal timeline I give if I have a complaint, any normal location should be able to at the least let you know that they have recieved your complaint and are following up on it within those time frames. It is not a perfect solution, but if I carried anything worth something, I would lock my bags as well (but I have been doing that since the Army, so it is a personal habit more than a statement).

Seems a small airport would be more constrained for room than a large airport. From my obsevations the problem lies in the process and a clear lack of concern by TSA on security of travelers belongings. As long as TSA refuses to admit it has an internal security problem this problem will remain. It is truly sad that the public has more to fear from TSA than the terrorist.

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Some of the smaller airports are pressed for space more than the larger ones. Like I keep saying, I am lucky, we have ample room for our equipment and screening needs - currently.

I'm happy that everything at your airport is going well. My concern is that a person is screened exactly the same at your airport or JFK. No excuse for the experience to be one bit different for a person traveling.

It is my opinion that current TSA policies and procedures enable TSA screeners to be thieves, thugs, and perverts. This is done by the secrecy of TSA screening policies and not properly informing the public of exactly what will happen at TSA checkpoints. Again in my opinion TSA so-called leadership has failed to take positive steps to correct these issues and leave only one option for correction, removal of all enablers. Preferably straight to jail!

I'm happy that everything at your airport is going well. My concern is that a person is screened exactly the same at your airport or JFK. No excuse for the experience to be one bit different for a person traveling.

It is my opinion that current TSA policies and procedures enable TSA screeners to be thieves, thugs, and perverts. This is done by the secrecy of TSA screening policies and not properly informing the public of exactly what will happen at TSA checkpoints. Again in my opinion TSA so-called leadership has failed to take positive steps to correct these issues and leave only one option for correction, removal of all enablers. Preferably straight to jail!

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I have actually been agreeing with you on that, with minor procedural, technological or space related modifications, I think the experience should be the same at every checkpoint.

If he does understand just how FUBAR his agency is, and he does care, then he's simply ineffective - and also unqualified.

In any case, he needs to go away - as do all of the thieves, thugs, and morons "working" for him.

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He came from FBI where there is at least high degree of professionalism. I think he really believes that these fast food rejects can become a professional agency. He's obviously incapable of recognizing his limitations and those of the cretins he employs and thus is an incompetent manager.

He came from FBI where there is at least high degree of professionalism. I think he really believes that these fast food rejects can become a professional agency. He's obviously incapable of recognizing his limitations and those of the cretins he employs and thus is an incompetent manager.

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He came from FBI because he wasn't ever going to get promoted again as a Fan Belt Inspector. Professionalism? Yeah, they have a higher level than TSA, but that ain't saying much. Google "Lon Horiuchi". Then there's the guy they fingered for a bombing in Spain because the oop:bags couldn't read fingerprints.

He came from FBI because he wasn't ever going to get promoted again as a Fan Belt Inspector. Professionalism? Yeah, they have a higher level than TSA, but that ain't saying much. Google "Lon Horiuchi". Then there's the guy they fingered for a bombing in Spain because the oop:bags couldn't read fingerprints.

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Robert Hanssen happened on his watch at the FBI when Pissy was Freeh's deputy.

I don't think he was or is now qualfied. TSA doesn't need a cop in the front office.

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Assuming for the moment that the TSA should exist at all, I've said from Day One that the director of the TSA should be a former VP for Security at a major corporation -- someone who has really practiced risk management and understands he works for the Board (the taxpayers).